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Age No Concern for Hunt Ahead of Fight Night 110

May 25, 2017 | Posted by AJ Grey
Mark Hunt

When it comes to experience in gladiatorial combat, few can emulate Mark Hunt. Simply put, he is one of New Zealand’s greatest fighting sons, perhaps equaled only by boxer David Tua, a fellow fighter of Samoan origin with a haymaker, perhaps, capable of separating head from body. On June 11, the 43-year-old veteran, and former K1 kickboxing world champion, will take to the octagon eager to prove that he can still mix it up with the greatest. He will attempt to do this on the back of a punishing KO defeat at UFC 209 back in March, which only served to re-ignite the doubts surrounding him.

By contrast, Hunt’s opponent Derrick Lewis will enter the arena as the firm favorite on the back of six consecutive wins. He also does so with a record which stands at 18-4 and one no-contest, according to Sherdog. Additionally, Lewis is eleven years the junior of Hunt, and also boasts an impressive rate of wins via KO (punches). Lewis’s ability in the striking department was in full evidence during his most recent win, in which he dispatched of Travis Browne with a deadly combination of punches in the second round. Hunt v Lewis is, undeniably, a bout that has the potential for huge entertainment.

Hunt v Lewis: Tale of the Tape

Both fighters originate from difficult backgrounds, and their hunger to succeed is perhaps unrivalled in the heavyweight division. For that reason, a significant number of MMA purists would sooner watch this than the main event of UFC 212, between Jose Aldo and Max Holloway. The latter is, like Hunt, an 11/10 outsider with Betway Sports as of May 22. Interestingly, those two are side by side at the very top of the heavyweight division, and neither will want to unleash hell from the off and risk losing vital stamina.

By contrast, where Hunt v Lewis is concerned, one can expect a tumultuous bout from the very start, with neither fighter showing the desire to slowly grind down the opposition with groundwork. Though the fighters are seventh and eighth in the UFC heavyweight rankings, as seen on Ranking MMA, nobody is under any illusion as to the likeliest victor. That noted, Hunt’s unrivalled kickboxing expertise could prove very advantageous, and the New Zealander still has every chance of upsetting the odds despite his relatively advanced age. Lewis, aside from resisting complacency, must ensure that his legs and torso, particularly around the kidney area, are well conditioned ahead of the fight and shrewdly guarded during it. Indeed, Lewis’s most recent loss, at UFC Fight Night 68 in June 2015, came through a flurry of punches and a deadly hook kick from Shawn Jordan. Evidently, the New Orleans native has learnt from that chastening experience, and his guard has solidified drastically of late.

Life Begins at 40?

Though his period in UFC could be considered an opportunity missed, Hunt is universally respected by fighting peers for recovering from what was a UFC baptism of fire in September 2010, when he lost to Sean McCorkle via submission in the first round. Four straight wins thereafter ensured that he would be taken seriously, and only last year a brace of knockout wins demonstrated the devastating punching power and stern resilience he still possesses, with these skills also noted on his UFC.com profile. He will also be gifted the psychological advantage brought about by a home crowd, something that is clearly needed when one observes that he has not won at an American arena since his UD win over Ben Rothwell at UFC 135 in September 2011.

Commentators will almost certainly reference Hunt’s age at regular intervals, and for good reason. Any MMA fighter over the age of 40 with a background like Hunt’s has every excuse to retire gracefully and be remembered as a great. Yet, fighting is very much in the New Zealander’s blood, and he will not rest easy until something more tangible than a UFC ‘performance of the night’ honor is won. With critics and naysayers accounted for, there are precedents for an aged fighter to triumph over the odds. One very recent case in hand is British fighter Michael Bisping’s first round knockout (punches) revenge win over Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 in June 2016, 19 months after losing the first encounter via submission. The result was seismic for both fighters, yet it was another testament to what can be achieved through focus and resilience, and it can only provide Hunt with food for thought as he reaches the twilight of his UFC career.

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AJ Grey